In the Bible, we are always commanded to watch our life and doctrine. This is primarily possible through the regular preaching of God’s word. That means, we are to be careful in appointing teachers who stand on the pulpit to preach God’s word. In this passage, Jesus teaches us how to discern false teachers and practice discernment.
Right beliefs lead to right living. Our behavior indicates what we actually believe deep down in our hearts. In Christianity, a person needs to know, believe and trust that Jesus Christ died as a substitute for his/her sins, only then that person is saved and accepted by God. However, Christian life is not just about believing in Jesus, but also showing forth good works (right living) as a result of knowing and trusting in Jesus (right belief). In this sermon, we learn that right belief and right living are interconnected in christian life because that’s exactly what the Bible principally teaches.
Church Discipline is disciplinary act from the elders of the church to rebuke, correct and restore a person from a sinful lifestyle in order to prevent the soul from further damage. It is a way of bringing back the prodigal into the fellowship of God and believers. In this passage, we learn why and how we need to practice church discipline.
The Bible does not command Christians to sacrifice truth and pursue unity among people in the church, and neither does it command us to pursue only truth and not unity. Fundamental truths of the Bible and unity are different sides of the same coin. It is ultimately the gospel which unites us to Christ and His church. In this sermon, we learn about the nature and the need for Christian unity.